Weed barrier for garden

[Trapper]

I have the garden ready to go. We are looking into putting down weed barrier to cover the garden and plant through the barrier. Does anyone else do this? How well has it worked for you? Any tips in doing this? We love to garden but spend a lot of time weeding, tilling, etc and the kids are grown (cant force them to weed anymore!). We don't want to downsize but cant keep up unless we change tactics. FYI, the garden is 25'X50'. Last year it was 25'x80' and we lost control.

 

[Mike Quinn]

Hi trapper , I had the same problem as you, due to my work commitments I didn't have time to look after my garden properly . I used to use a weed control membrane and cut holes in to plant through ,it fairly works

 

[old_anorak]

Our gardens are too big for it to be cost effective to put down the weed barrier, but I've been known to use cardboard and newspapers for the same effect and at the end of the season we just plow them into the ground.

Ducks and geese are pretty good at weeding too once your plants get to a fair size. Chickens will scratch too much up from my experience. I am looking into getting some more weeder geese.

 

[Dani]

Our gardens are too big for it to be cost effective to put down the weed barrier, but I've been known to use cardboard and newspapers for the same effect and at the end of the season we just plow them into the ground.

Ducks and geese are pretty good at weeding too once your plants get to a fair size. Chickens will scratch too much up from my experience. I am looking into getting some more weeder geese.

Thinking I need to buy some geese and ducks now. The garden is 50 x 120 and honestly, I would love to be able to keep it up myself. Hubby said he would help, but he has his own projects. I used mulch to keep the weeds down, but I have unfortunately been away from home more than I thought this year with work and my mom (she is handicapped and does not drive so I have to take her to all her doctor appointments, grocery shopping, etc,

 

[old_anorak]

Here is some information on weeder geese. I'm wanting to get some Cotton Patch Geese and breed them, but they are far from cheap because they are near extinction now.
http://www.metzerfarms.com/usingweedergeese.cfm

 

[jimLE]

one thing i know of,in which i lived across the street from the person that did this..he'd let the crops start growing good..then put news papers down..then load up on grass clipping through out the garden untill they were 3-4 inchs thick or thicker.that way he didnt have to worry about weeding the garden.pluse the clippings naturally fertilized the garden.and to top it off.he didnt have to water it as often as well..and at end of the growing season.he'd either go ahead and till it al in.or just wait till the next year to do that..

 

[Brent S]

I just discovered this little gadget this past season, was a huge back saver! I've used newspaper and cardboard before but wonder what kinds of chemicals are used in making them. Have you ever driven by a paper pulp factory in the summertime? The smell is enough to gag you. I use a lot of leaves and mulch too.

 

[jimLE]

yeah..that is a handy lil tool..i've used them before..and thier not only handy and a time saver.but its easyer on the back as well

 

[Brent S]

yeah..that is a handy lil tool..i've used them before..and thier not only handy and a time saver.but its easyer on the back as well

I don't even know the name of it, but I saw it on a show on TV, went to lowes and described it and they guy took me right to it. I'll never have a garden without it again.

 

[Dani]

one thing i know of,in which i lived across the street from the person that did this..he'd let the crops start growing good..then put news papers down..then load up on grass clipping through out the garden untill they were 3-4 inchs thick or thicker.that way he didnt have to worry about weeding the garden.pluse the clippings naturally fertilized the garden.and to top it off.he didnt have to water it as often as well..and at end of the growing season.he'd either go ahead and till it al in.or just wait till the next year to do that..

I have tried the newspaper before, but would recommend wetting it down and then put the grass clippings or mulch down on top.

 

[sharkbait]

I do the newspaper and grass clippings tone reason,it's the cheapest method we've found that works and weeding is just too much work these days,while some weeds get though,it really cuts down on the amount of weeding that has to be done.

Here in Ohio,I feel it also insulates the plants a bit,helps out new starts at the beginning of the season.It also helps hold water better and all that breaks down just goes back into the nitrogen cycle.

 

[jimLE]

i was thinking along the lies of putting clippings into a 2 to 5 gallon bucket.then lay out the news paper where theres no crops at.then use the clippings in the bucket to whight it down..then add the needed clippings after all that is done..then and only then..water every thing..

 

[Dani]

The reason I tend to wet them first is because of the wind we have will blow them all around before I can get my mulch down on top of them, so if I wet them as I go it just goes easier for me. I only use the mulch for the walkways. We get free mulch from a close city dump. They will pick up and trim trees around electric lines that they put thru a big chipper. For the beds themselves, I like to use hay and rice hulls that have donkey manure mixed in. It make a great fertilizer for the garden since donkey dung doesn't let seeds they have eaten germinate in the garden. Other manure does.

 

[ChancesR]

I have heard cardboard is the way to go it is tough but you can put it down and it will break down so slowly that the weeds will not be able to grow through it and it helps keep moisture and warmth in the soil

 

[Myrrph]

the newspaper and cardboard idea is amazing!